2022 TV Series: We Happy REVIEW!
by xenturik
My thoughts on every single show I saw last year, starting with my Top Ten favorites
10.Station Eleven (HBO Max)
Watching a show about a catastrophic pandemic was a bit rough, in a "too close to home" way, at first. But once the story shifted focus to the post-apocalyptic future and how one clan of humans sought to preserve the beauty of humanity through theater and storytelling, yeah, I was on board. Mackenzie Davis’ ability to have both the keen cutthroat skills of a survivor of the apocalypse and still retain that childlike nostalgia of the world before it went to shit is balanced and remarkable. The journey to rebuild society was laced with palpable intrigue involving captivating survivor stories, scary ass child cult leaders, and even an artistically tortured comic book author whose work seemed to have prophetic qualities. It all came together to make a damn good miniseries.
9. House of Dragons (HBO Max)
I really didn’t want to get into Game of Thrones again. That chapter was a closed book in my media consumption life. My wife and I watched the original series pretty much religiously every Sunday with a group of friends. And when it notoriously wrapped up, I, with much appreciation, said goodbye to Westeros. So perhaps it was simply curiosity that got us to watch House of Dragon, or better yet, maybe it was a Pavlovian response to days gone by. But whatever the reason, I am fully glad we decided to give this universe another chance. I never thought they’d be able to make me care for a character the way they did Daenerys, but then they gave us Princess Rhaenys: powerful, scary, and calculated. I found myself pleasantly surprised to be wrapped back into the bloody politics of this world, where this time the main foe is the patriarchy. For the most part, they delivered in every aspect you could hope for and even challenged me with some really tough material involving incest, women’s agency in childbirth, and the horribleness of medieval child marriages. There are also dragons. Lots of dragons. I ended this series pumped once again for a silly sword-shaped throne, and I’m quite glad for it.
8. Barry Season 3 (HBO Max)
Bill Hader is incredible. I never thought this goofy premise of a show would have legs after its first season. I’m delighted to be wrong. Barry has turned this into a fascinating masterclass on how the intentionality of character work can bear the riches of comedy. It’s not the spoken "jokes" or the situations that make me laugh the most in Barry; it's the character choices—the mannerisms, the side glances, and seeing their thoughts even before they speak. The performances are incredible and lend themselves to being a vehicle for a really great crime-action comedic series.
7.Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
If the word ‘cute" could be defined by a show, it would be "Our Flag Means Death". Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi will melt your heart in this HBO series as well as make you laugh out of your damn seat. Simple premise of a rich Englishman trying to be a pirate, but he’s such a dandy he needs the help of one of the most notorious pirates on the sea. It’s the best campy comedic character work of the year and worth a watch if Taika's "silly but with heart" type of comedy is your thing.
6. Reservation Dogs Season 2 (Hulu)
I love this show. Every bit of charm, every bit of heart, and every bit of quirkiness return in the second season. The importance of a show made by indigenous peoples from the ground up can’t be overstated. On top of all that, this show is quality. Picking up on the themes of friendship, grief, and acceptance, this coming-of-age comedy series from creator Sterlin Harjo will not only have you laughing your ass off but will also pull on your heartstrings in very earned ways. I learn so much from watching his show, and I’m just grateful for the ways it has enriched my life.
5. Andor (Disney+)
This show is incredible. It takes the quiet intensity of a spaghetti western and mashes it with the high-action sci-fi of, well, Star Wars. The world-building they do as they set up this pivotal moment in the timeline is rich and engrossing. They do this by showcasing multiple sides of the conflict. While the series is titled Andor, you spend a lot of time seeing this story from differing perspectives, careers, wants, and fears. It all lends to a robust world with an intriguing cast of characters that leaves you wondering, "Is there even a good or bad side?" Superb.
4. The Bear (Hulu)
I was calling everyone at work "Chef" for about a week after finishing this incredible series. Jeremey Allen White just breaks my heart in this role. Behind the fast-talking, tough-guy Philadelphia facade is this palpable layer of pain and grief. Every scene White’s in, no matter what the context, you feel just a bit of it bubbling beneath the surface. Incredible. Also, it has quite possibly one of the best episodes of television ever, as it is completely filmed in one shot. Don’t watch it out of context. But when that episode ended, I was convinced it was three separate episodes, not one.
3. Abbott Elementary (Hulu)
Wow. What a feel-good show! My sister, who is an elementary school teacher, recommended this to me one night at dinner. She and I grew up with very similar tastes in comedy and TV, so I popped it on that night. To be honest, at first I thought it was nothing more than a cute throwback to mockumentary style TV a la "The Office" and "Parks & Rec", but after the third episode, I found myself deeply invested in every single one of the extremely likable characters this show provides. I even watched the whole series a second time when Manda wanted to see it, and I never watch things twice. Quinta Brunson is the new voice of comedy out here, and I couldn't be more excited to see everything that she makes going forward.
2. Atlanta Seasons 3 & 4 (Hulu)
Donald Glover is a mad man, and I love it. This guy and his team are true artists, and they use this show as a platform to voice so many intense, thought-provoking, and challenging ideas. These ideas formulate into "Twilight Zone"-esque episodes, each with their own tone, vibration, and message. Atlanta is a prolific TV show that showcases the brilliance that artists can do when left to their own devices.
1.Severance (Apple TV)
This series knocked me on my freaking ass. What this show did best for me was that it robbed me of any preconceived notions I had, episode by episode. It left me with this pure feeling of wonderment, knowing that anything could happen and that I was merely along for the ride. The less I write about the plot, the better for those of you who haven't seen it, but rest assured, I can’t find one bad thing to say about this show. There's simply nothing out there like it, and I’m still bristling with anticipation for future seasons to come out.
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IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER (48 seasons watched this year)
Title (Streaming Service) My Rating
Abbott Elementary (Hulu) Stunning!
Wow. What a feel-good show! My sister, who is an elementary school teacher, recommended this to me one night at dinner. She and I grew up with very similar tastes in comedy and TV, so I popped it on that night. To be honest, at first I thought it was nothing more than a cute throwback to mockumentary style TV a la "The Office" and "Parks & Rec", but after the third episode, I found myself deeply invested in every single one of the extremely likable characters this show provides. I even watched the whole series a second time when Manda wanted to see it, and I never watch things twice. Quinta Brunson is the new voice of comedy out here, and I couldn't be more excited to see everything that she makes going forward.
Andor (Disney+) Stunning!
This show is incredible. It takes the quiet intensity of a spaghetti western and mashes it with the high-action sci-fi of, well, Star Wars. The world-building they do as they set up this pivotal moment in the timeline is rich and engrossing. They do this by showcasing multiple sides of the conflict. While the series is titled Andor, you spend a lot of time seeing this story from differing perspectives, careers, wants, and fears. It all lends to a robust world with an intriguing cast of characters that leaves you wondering, "Is there even a good or bad side?" Superb.
Atlanta Seasons 3 & 4 (Hulu) Stunning!
A few episodes to highlight from these seasons include:
“Three Slaps”, the reimagined tale based on the real world tragedy of the 2018 Hart Family.
“The Big Paycheck”, a showcase of what could happen if Reparations for Black people in America actually happened, filmed in the style of a tense thriller film.
“New Jazz”, a trippy abstract mind fuck, that my mind still hasn't wrapped itself around yet.
“The Goof Who Sat By The Door” a parody doc about how 1995’s A Goofy Movie, was written by and for Black America
And honestly the list goes on. Atlanta is a prolific TV show that showcases the brilliance that artists can do when left alone to their own devices.
Barry Season 3 (HBO Max) Stunning!
Bill Hader is incredible. I never thought this goofy premise of a show would have legs after its first season. I’m delighted to be wrong. Barry has turned this into a fascinating masterclass on how the intensity of character work can bear the riches of comedy. It’s not the spoken "jokes" or the situations that make me laugh the most in Barry; it's the character choices—the mannerisms, the side glances, and seeing their thoughts even before they speak. The performances are incredible and lend themselves to being a vehicle for a really great crime-action comedic series.
There is a car chase scene in this show which is one of the best car chases I've seen on tv or movies. Episode 6 titled “710N”. It’s good shit.
The Bear (Hulu) Stunning!
I was calling everyone at work "Chef" for about a week after finishing this incredible series. Jeremey Allen White just breaks my heart in this role. Behind the fast-talking, tough-guy Philadelphia facade is this palpable layer of pain and grief. Every scene White’s in, no matter what the context, you feel just a bit of it bubbling beneath the surface. Incredible. Also, it has quite possibly one of the best episodes of television ever. "The Review". Don’t watch it out of context. But when that episode ended, I was convinced it was three separate episodes, not one.
The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+) This is Great!
I’m one of the outliers here who actually liked this hodgepodge little series. Temuera Morrison is a really cool dude. Seeing him bring Boba Fett into the 21st century felt really satisfying. I liked how they gave him more of a spiritual side and how they highlighted that his best days (for fighting) are behind him. So he’s got to use his wits and diplomacy to get things done. This show also goes on a big tangent as it furthers the saga of the Mandoloarian and baby Yoda. We get to see a "close enough" digital Luke Skywalker train Grogu, and it's everything I could have hoped for. In the end, we got a classic Robert Rodriguez western showdown with all the ridiculous, over-the-top action you could expect. I just really liked the fun times this series offered.
The Boys Seasons 2-3 (Prime) it’s good, not great, but good!
Season 2 almost made me stop watching The Boys. Its style just came off as "trying too hard" for me, and I lost interest. I get it, your superheroes, but baaaaaaad. However, season 3 really brought me back around. Finally, we were getting past the overused gore and sex gags and diving into the vulnerabilities of these characters. Finally, I could start caring about them and digging into what makes them tick. They also flesh out the history of Vought International, making it feel multidimensional and complex. Capturing the political polarity of America and distilling it into the show was exciting to watch, and I hope they can continue to do that in clever ways. All in all, season 3 got me back on board with this show, and I hope they stick with whatever tone they're going with with the next season.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners (Netflix) This is Great!
So yeah, I fell in love with Night City thanks to the videogame Cyberpunk 2077. So to watch an anime based in a city I got to explore in first person was only going to be a win for me. I don't like certain aspects of this show; there are way too many jerk-off jokes, and the main character has this habit of freezing when nervous, angry, scared, or, actually, now that I’m writing this out, freezing sounds totally relatable. But they didn't explore it deep enough to make it interesting to watch! Other than that, it's a fast-paced, exciting action noir piece with that golden anime layer of saccharine hokiness on top.
Euphoria Season 2 (HBO Max) Stunning!
I’m like… bought into all the characters in Euphoria. The first season got me so tense and emotional that I had to pace my house between episodes. This season ended with me out of my seat, yelling out loud at the screen. I don't know exactly what it is about this show that gets me so physically invested, but my guess is that I truly care about these characters. This season played a lot with the absurd, and that really kept me on my toes as a viewer. But it wasn’t just gimmicks or the A24 touch that got me. But it was the performances. There’s a pre-season episode entitled "Trouble Don’t Last Always", which felt like I sat down to watch a two-person play live in the theater. It was exceptional. And Zendaya has this moment—fuck, even thinking about it now makes me tear up—where she comes face-to-face with a hard truth about her addiction. It's just powerful, and the whole show hits me this way. It also makes me laugh. Like a lot.
Hacks Season 2 (HBO Max) This is Great!
I think I have a crush on Hannah Einbender. She’s just perfect in this role; she’s funny, quick, and so relatable, and her chemistry with Gene Smart is next level. I finished this season and was so sad that I ran out of episodes to watch. Luckily, the new season should kick off in 2023!
Harry Potter Hogwarts Tournament of Houses (HBO Max) it’s good, not great, but good!
I don't believe in guilty pleasures; I like to stand by what I like, but if I did, this would be my guilty pleasure of 2022. Helen Mirren ran this overly scripted reality game show that pitted super fans from each Hogwarts house against each other in various types of trivia games. I was delighted with each episode as I cheered on House Ravenclaw. It was also a good test of my own HP knowledge. All in all, it was worth it to see how much damn fun Helen Mirren seemed to be having in this show. May we all know her happiness! Even if it was just acting.
Hilda Season 1-2 (Netflix) Stunning!
I’m sad I didn't get around to this spectacular show sooner. It’s truly wonderful. Full of imagination and spunk, Hilda takes you on a whirlwind journey of magic and mystery in a way that is consistently pleasant throughout.
Hot Ones Seasons 2-8 (YouTube) Stunning!
Yo. Your boy watched seven seasons of Hot Ones this year. For years, I would watch one-off episodes that a friend would recommend. Aubrey Plaza... or Shaq... But at some point in 2020, I decided to watch all of Hot Ones in order because, well, it was 2020. I got through the first season and thought, "This is fun, this is cute". But then I picked it back up in 2022, and y’all... I think I have a crush on Sean Evans. The man brings this degree of professional journalism to these interviews, which launches them from a silly hot-wing gag to actual think pieces about celebrity-ism, social media, worth ethics, family, and so much more. I was constantly impressed by his ability to accept the absurdity of the show while still pushing things to get deep. I knew I really liked this show when I stopped watching for the celebrity appearances and watched more for Sean. I even started ordering the hot sauce featured on the show. That being said, there are like 8 more seasons for me to catch up on, so let's go!
House of Dragon (HBO Max) Stunning!
I really didn’t want to get into Game of Thrones again. That chapter was a closed book in my media consumption life. My wife and I watched the original series pretty much religiously every Sunday with a group of friends. And when it notoriously wrapped up, I, with much appreciation, said goodbye to Westeros. So perhaps it was simply curiosity that got us to watch House of Dragon, or better yet, maybe it was a Pavlovian response to days gone by. But whatever the reason, I am fully glad we decided to give this universe another chance. I never thought they’d be able to make me care for a character the way they did Daenerys, but then they gave us Princess Rhaenys: powerful, scary, and calculated. I found myself pleasantly surprised to be wrapped back into the romance of the bloody politics of this world. That being said, a few weakly forced plot lines did bother me (simply mishearing the King starts a war, oopsie!). For the most part, they delivered in every aspect you could hope for and even challenged me with some really tough material involving incest, women’s agency in childbirth, and the horribleness of medieval child marriages. There are also dragons. Lots of dragons. I ended this series pumped once again for a silly sword-shaped throne, and I’m quite glad to be there.
James Acaster Repertoire (Netflix) Stunning!
What this man does with his four-part stand-up comedy series is incredible. Gosh, it's almost impossible to explain how he weaves his material through the four sets, but it's definitely worth a watch if you're into the craft of stand-up comedy.
Keep Sweet Pray and Obey (Netflix) Sad
This documentary had me vocally yelling expletives at the monsters who perpetuated the abuse in this cult. It’s beyond sad.
The Legend of Vox Machina (Prime) This is Great!
My big year for D&D continues. I’ve only watched a couple episodes of Critical Role. I’ve tried to watch it all, but the time sink you’d have to put in to catch up is too much for me in the end. What I have seen has been enrapturing; seeing a collection of professionals bring their raw talent to the tabletop is just impressive and makes me grateful as their work helped bring D&D to the mainstream. That being said, Vox Machina, the animated series, seems like the next best thing to watching the actual campaign. For someone unfamiliar with the characters, it is still super fun and interesting. It did feel like the series expected me to be more invested in the characters by the end of season one. To be honest, I still felt like I had just met them. That's where I think watching Critical Role might have given me the benefit of already buying into this big cast from the get-go. All that means is that I still have room to fall in love with them, which I expect to do in Season 2.
Ms. Marvel (Disney+) Stunning!
I loved this show. I loved everything about it. I already have a soft spot for coming-of-age tales, and this one did not disappoint. Kamala Khan brings Pakistani culture to the limelight, and I saw so much of my mother's family in this show. The end of the first episode had me in tears because, for the first time in my life, I felt like I got to see my mom represented in American entertainment media. Her mom looked at her the way my mom looks at me, and it was amazing. Iman Vellani, who plays Ms. Marvel, is the reason this show works. She is just a ball of electric charm. I can't help but cheer for her infectious, genuine energy. While the broader strokes of the plot may come off as rote or cliche, you can’t discount the necessity of bringing Muslim-focused characters and storylines to the forefront. It's made this series one of my favorite shows this year. I mean, what other shows have shined a light on cosplay and Pakistani independence history? Amazing!
Murderville (Netflix) This is Great!
This delightful improv cameo show is just a barrel of lighthearted laughs. Will Arnett and a small crew of comedians create a loosely scripted detective mystery, then slot in celebrities such as Conan O'Brien, Maya Rudolph, and Kumail Nanijhani. The cameo celebs get no script and have to "yes" their way through the caper. While the premise of silly improv is fun, the show doubles as a game, where we viewers get the thrill of trying to figure out the mysteries alongside the celeb guest. We enjoyed every episode, including the Christmas special.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+) This is Great!
Obi-wan Kenobi is my favorite Star Wars character. His significance in the saga and his pathos of losing his teacher while gaining a student have always struck me as profound. And his journey, from episode 1 through the clone wars right up until episode 6, is poignant and powerful. Getting this series with Ewan Mregror was everything for me. I enjoyed the slow start, building the mundane life Kenbobi has established on Tatooine. I liked that they ramped up the pulp by creating a planet-hopping rescue adventure. I appreciated them developing a relationship between Princess Leia and Obi-wan, which flavors Episode 4 in a whole new way. I also loved the reunion of Hayden and Ewan in a way that deepened the arc of Vader and gave finality to the fate of Anakin. Sure, the show was susceptible to some plot holes and some scenarios that felt utterly forced. But overall, between the performances, the atmosphere, and the way this enriched the overall legacy of Star Wars, I couldn't help but love it. But like I said, Obi-wan is my favorite character, so there was no way I wasn't going to love this.
Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max) Stunning!
If the word ‘cute" could be summed up by a show, it would be "Our Flag Means Death". Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi will melt your heart in this HBO series as well as make you laugh out of your damn seat. Simple premise of a rich Englishman trying to be a pirate, but he’s such a dandy he needs the help of one of the most notorious pirates on the sea. It’s the best campy comedic character work of the year and worth a watch if Taika's "silly but with heart" type of comedy is your thing.
The Politician Seasons 1-2 (Netflix) This is Great!
This is a really smart, fast-paced comedy drama about high school students vying for high school government. It's a really good commentary on America's current political landscape and has a crisp polish to it that feels familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it until halfway through the first season, but this series is made by Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee. It had that "fast-paced, hyper-stylized, high-stakes" take on high school that Glee also did. What makes this different from Glee is the incredibly sharp script and how it swaps out its saccharine optimism for stylized cynicism. The second season, however, is where this series shines, as it sheds the naivety of high school mindsets and delivers a more sobering dose of expectation and disappointment. There are also musical numbers here and there. And yeah, they are really good.
The Quest (Disney+) it’s good, not great, but good!
So maybe I do believe in guilty pleasures because every year, I get a hankering to watch some corny reality TV. It’s usually a different program every year. In 2020, it was the "Circle". In 2021, it was "Love on the Spectrum". This year it was "The Quest" on Disney+. They get a bunch of teens to LARP through a fantasy world competition. It all came off as a sort of immersive theater game show. I dug it. Honestly, I would probably watch a second season if they made one.
The Rehearsal (HBO Max) it okay I guess
Oh, I really thought I’d like this. The premise of a man helping people rehearse through difficult conversations and then using a candid camera to see if they could succeed is brilliant. Mike Birbiglia is amazing on his own; his comedy is top-notch, weird, and always spot-on. Where this series lost me, however, was when they went from helping people through tough scenarios to Mike’s journey of exploring fatherhood. While objectively it was a very beautiful twist to add depth to the series, in the end I really couldn't care for or buy into that plot. The original premise was so enticing to me that the more they strayed from it, the less interested I became. I saw the series through to the end, but I grieved for the loss of what I thought this series was going to be. Still, I applaud the craft.
Reservation Dogs Season 2 (Hulu) Stunning!
I love this show. Every bit of charm, every bit of heart, and every bit of quirkiness return in the second season. The importance of a show made by indigenous peoples from the ground up can’t be overstated. On top of all that, this show is quality. Picking up on the themes of friendship, grief, and acceptance, this coming-of-age comedy series from creator Sterlin Harjo will not only have you laughing your ass off but will also pull on your heartstrings in very earned ways. I learn so much from watching his show, and I’m just grateful for the ways it has enriched my life.
Severance (Apple TV) Stunning!
This series knocked me on my freaking ass. What this show did best for me was that it robbed me of any preconceived notions I had, episode by episode. It left me with this pure feeling of wonderment, knowing that anything could happen and that I was merely along for the ride. The less I write about the plot, the better for those of you who haven't seen it, but rest assured, I can’t find one bad thing to say about this show. There's simply nothing out there like it, and I’m still bristling with anticipation for future seasons to come out.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+) This is Great!
I really liked She-Hulk. It was funny, had great characters and cameos, and really challenged the conventional Marvel formula of storytelling. Also, a large part of why I liked it is due to how freaking charming and personable Tatiana Maslany is. It is brilliant and sad that the creators of She-Hulk could so accurately predict the aggro reception of their show that they could address this misogynistic backlash in character through the show itself. One main critique I read about this show is how Jennifer Walters is able to master the transformation of turning in and out of the Hulk. They say "It took years for Bruce to learn it; it diminishes his journey that she can learn it so quickly". She can because, as a woman, she has had to manage her rage and fear on a daily basis in our society. Being with my wife for 11 years now, I’ve learned firsthand about the privilege of being able to walk around the block or go to the supermarket without fear. To speak in a meeting and immediately be heard. To not have my opinions questioned or discounted. The shit I now realize my wife goes through and her capability to excel at her career, hobbies, and life in spite of all that, makes my wife a superhero and even more, it also makes this moment in the TV show make tons of sense to me. My only wish for this show is that we get more of it.
Smiling Friends (HBO Max) This is Great!
This show is weird. It's good to watch weird shows. Keeps you honest. It helps that this show is as weird as it is funny. Check it out if you dare.
Space Force Seasons 1-2 (Netflix) This is Great!
The first season felt like one long string of "ok" dad jokes. However, something shifted in the second season. Maybe my time with the characters set in, or perhaps they focused more on growth than punchlines, but whatever it was, the second season found a special place in my heart, and I'm pretty darn sad we won't get a third.
Station Eleven (HBO Max) This is Great!
Watching a show about a catastrophic pandemic was a bit rough, in a "too close to home" way, at first. But once the story shifted focus to the post-apocalyptic future and how one clan of humans sought to preserve the beauty of humanity through theater and storytelling, yeah, I was on board. Mackenzie Davis’ ability to have both the keen cutthroat skills of a survivor of the apocalypse and still retain that childlike nostalgia of the world before it went to shit is balanced and remarkable. The journey to rebuild society was laced with palpable intrigue involving captivating survivor stories, scary ass child cult leaders, and even an artistically tortured comic book author whose work seemed to have prophetic qualities. It all came together to make a damn good miniseries.
Stranger Things 4 (Netflix) Stunning!
This season made me fall back in love with Stranger Things. The first season was pure greatness. The last two were tons of fun, but they felt more like fun summer blockbuster movie fluff. However, this season started tying up a lot of mysteries that have been swirling around since the first season, and I was here for every one of them. Breaking the main characters up and letting them each feature in their own mini adventures was a super clever way to help you care in smaller ways about them instead of simply for the overall group. Also, the challenge of presenting a villain that, in my opinion, was a metaphor for teenage suicidal ideation was horrific but made all the more powerful when confronted and combated by connection and friendship (i.e., Running Up That Hill). This was the only show that was so compelling that I involuntarily binge-watched it this year for both the first and second parts.
Tales of the Jedi (Disney +)This is Great!
Nice little anthology show featuring some cool "one-off" stories set all over the Star Wars timeline. My favorite were the ones that featured young Count Dooku, giving him more understandable lore behind his switch to the dark side. A real easy watch for you big Star Wars nerds out there.
Ted Lasso Season 2 (Apple TV) Stunning!
The first season was a barrel of good times. The show was a masterclass on how to make you care for and root for every single character in a series. The second season deftly touched on the subject of mental health in the sports world. It was a really smart way to grow the series, from a guy who uses positive motivation to solve everything to "oof, you're going to need more than corny one-liners for this". The idea that the man who's always positive and finds a way to overcome all odds could not navigate his marital separation healthily was telling. It all came to a head in the second season, and I think they handled it in a super smart and thoughtful way. Also, the beautiful relationship between Juno Temple’s "Keeley" and Brett Golstein’s "Roy" characters made me “happy cry” multiple times this season. I just love this show, as many, many other people do.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 (Netflix) This is Great!
This show is silly, and that's all I really want from it. The considerate and attentive care they took to transition Vanya to Viktor was superb. And the wack-a-doodle parallel universe and secret dimension diving story were just as fun as the other seasons. Aiden Gallagher as Number 5 is still my favorite character by far; his sharp wit, razor intellect, and cutthroat tendencies make him so exciting to watch.
The Watcher (Netflix) oh no, not for me
This was recommended to me by high schoolers who I subbed for. I watched it, and yeah, it was pretty disappointing. Don't get me wrong; the idea of it is stellar. A haunted house thriller where the haunting seems to be coming from the outside and not from within is a really cool idea. The tie-in to real-life events also added a layer of uneasiness. But it was very clear when the series extended beyond the real-life source material. Characters became obnoxiously extreme in their thoughts and actions; plot points started to feel very rushed and unearned; and I can’t count how many false endings this show had. Half of this series had me on the edge of my seat, but the second half was just so inexplicably bland.
White Lotus SEASON 1 (HBO Max) it’s good, not great, but good!
This was one of the most talked-about series this year. Unfortunately, this script felt so much like a dad trying to vent out his message that I kind of tuned out emotionally for parts of it. Here are some examples of what I mean: Spoiler alert. The idea that a man only saves his marriage by punching out a guy is, like, okay. And also the arc of a phone-obsessed teen who, only after getting his phone wet, discovers nature and finds his true purpose in life. They just seemed like a bunch of concepts written from an older perspective that I found hard to relate to. That being said, the setup and tension built from the idea that anyone you’re watching in the series could either A. be the killer or B. be killed are simply good television.
White Lotus season 2 (HBO Max) Stunning!
So this is where Mike White really shines. I can write off the unfavorable tropes of the first season as parts of a script he’d been sitting on for awhile that finally got greenlit, because season 2 of White Lotus felt fresh as fuck. The beautiful setting of Italy, the rich tapestry of characters who all felt unique and had agency, and also that brilliant gimmick of setting up a murder mystery where you have to figure out who the killer and the killed are, were great. Unlike the first season, I genuinely liked all of the characters in season 2. Special shout-outs to Haley Lu Richardson and Simona Tabasco, who brought a really convivial yet driven performance to their characters. It was also so nice to see Michael Imperioli deliver this really grounded, sad, and conflicted father. That man is such a great actor, and it was great to see him bring so much pathos to the role. Then, of course, there is the enigmatically vivacious Jennifer Coolidge, who is simply the best. It was nice to see her character gain more ownership of herself and her surroundings in season 2. She has this great ability in scenes to make me laugh, make me nervous, and make me laugh nervously. It's incredible. This season was such a well-deserved smash hit that I am super curious to see what they do with the show going forward.
What We Do in the Shadows Season 1 (Hulu) it’s good, not great, but good!
The movie this series is based on is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. So it was really hard for me not to constantly compare the show to it. While I love that the serial format gives us more of this goofy vampire world, I always felt like something was missing. To be honest, I still haven't been able to put words to this feeling. I'm still ruminating on it. It's odd because I adore all the performances from top to bottom. The sitcom, with its episodic escapades, is downright hilarious. Yet still, at the end of the day, I’m left wanting more. I'll have to keep watching the show to figure it out, which I definitely don't mind doing.
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And there we have it. Thanks for reading! Feel free to check out my reviews on every Game and Movie I saw in 2022: